[1] He served in the U.S. Army during World War I, was wounded and lost his right leg in the Battle of Chateau-Thierry, where he also earned the Croix de Guerre with palm leaves.

[1] Upon his return to the United States, Kelly joined the American Liberty bond drive.

[4][5] Kelly was selected by Governor Frank Fitzgerald to head the Detroit area Liquor Control Commission.

[6] He was elected to a second two-year term in 1944,[3] and during his four years in office, the state government was reorganized and a grand jury was convened to examine misappropriations in the legislature.

Also during his tenure as governor, Kelly appointed Vera Burridge Baits and Roscoe Bonisteel as Regents to the University of Michigan.

[3] After serving out his second term, Kelly returned to private practice[3] until, in 1950, the Republican party again asked him to run for governor again.